While the most recent hurricane, Isaac, did not have the strength of Hurricane Katrina, the expansive category one storm demonstrated how easily problems can simultaneously spread to multiple states.

Georgia's troubles were minimal compared to the devastation felt in Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas, but it served as a reminder that hurricane season is entering its peak.

Melinda Bailey, Troup County environmental health manager, does her daily inspection of the Red Cross shelter.

Bruce Jeffries, acting deputy director of health protection for the Georgia Department of Public Health, says Georgia is well prepared to respond, as seen during multiple incidents in the last 10 years. The coalitions and increased efficiency of communications are no small part of that equation.

"What we have seen is, now the information flow within emergency preparedness staff at the state as well as the district is a lot quicker because of our relationships with our other seven state partners," Jeffries says.

Hurricanes are perhaps of the greatest threat to Georgia's coastal health district.

"The Coastal Health District covers eight counties along Georgia's coast," says Sally Silbermann, district public information officer. "All of those counties are vulnerable to hurricanes and the impact that wind and storm surge can have once a hurricane (or tropical storm) makes landfall. During hurricane season, we stress personal preparedness not only for the general public but also for district employees."

A storm system Isaac's size does not just stop at the coast. Georgia's Southeast Health District would likely be next in line for flooding, utility outages, structural collapse and other threats to health and life.

"We have been distributing materials to schools about emergency preparedness," says Roger Naylor, Southeast Health District PIO. "Those materials include: EP wallet cards that provide resources for preparedness, coloring books, folders, etc. We are also distributing reminders about being prepared via Social Media and traditional media."

In the West Central Health District, PIO Pam Fair hosts "The Public Health Report" on the Government Access Channel. She says the goal during the next month is focus on an effort to organize faith-based groups to provide assistance during a large-scale emergency such as hurricane response.

Some of those evacuating the Gulf Coast during the approach of Hurricane Isaac found shelter in Georgia. In the LaGrange Health District, the Red Cross opened a shelter Aug. 28 and after two days was still assisting 14 residents, according to PIO Hayla Folden. Meetings with partner agencies were held each evening that week.
 

Hurricane training exercises in the Coastal Health District began in May, when hurricane season starts.

When it's a regional partner state torn apart by a hurricane, Georgia officials are ready to send and receive patients who may be forced to evacuate a hospital or who may have been injured as a direct result of the storm. Injuries are not limited to physical impact -- Georgia's new Disaster Mental Health website, www.georgiadisaster.info, helps identify the wide range of emotional strain storms cause and directs visitors on how to seek help.

Hurricane season continues until the end of November. In early August, the National Hurricane Center increased its projections to include 12 to 17 named storms, five to eight hurricanes and two to three major hurricanes of category 3 strength or greater. The season's peak continues for the next six weeks.

-Story by Eric Jens, DPH Communications